Electrical connector device



Dec 18, 1923.

R. B. BENJAMIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DEVICE Filed May 9, 1918 Patented Dec. 11.8, 1223.

straits earner MANUEAGTUEING COMPANY, 0E orironeo, tremors,

A coErcnATIon or rumors.

ELECTRICAL connncron DEVICE.

Application filed May 9, 1918.- Serial No. 233,462.

To all whom it may COW/667%.

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJA- MIN, a citizen otthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook-and State oi? Illinois, have invented new and use ful Improvements in Electrical Connector Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part oi this specification.

My invention relates to electrical connector devices.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved construction of socket, in which the insulating base carry ing the receptacle contacts and bindingterminals can be readily removed from the socket casing through the open end of the casing, which construction enables the cas ing to be made of a single integral piece of sheet metal. Further objects will appear from the appended claims and from the following description. r

In the drawings, in which one embodiment of my invention is shown Fig. 1 is an axial section of an electrical receptacle embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: is a section on theline 4.i of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the connection between the socket-casing and the interior construction; I

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the interior construction;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of an insulating fiber washer; v

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing another form of shade connection; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing another form of bushing for the passage oft-he feed-wires.

In order to give a general idea of the invention, it is here stated that the socket shown has a sheet-metal cup-shaped casing formed of a single integral piece of sheet metal, into the open end of which can be inserted an insulating base carrying threaded shell and center contacts for engagement with an Edison lamp-base, and carrying also an insulating fiber sleeve,- which insulates the threaded shell from the outer casing, a quick-detachable snap connection being provided between the insulating base and the outer casing.

This construction does away with the usual detachable connection between the cap and shell portion of the socket-casing; which usually gives more or less trouble, due to its becoming disconnected.

In applicants construction the base carry ing the contacts and binding-terminals can be slipped out of the socket-casing and wired and then slipped back into the casing and connected thereto.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, I

the socket shown comprises a circular insulating base 10, a threaded sheet-metalcontact 11 secured to and supported by the base 10, a sheet-metal center contact 12 also secured to and supported by the base 10', a cup-shaped sheet-metal casing 18 for hous ing the insulating base 10 and the parts supported thereby, an insulating sleeve 14 of fiber or other suitable material for insu-' lating the contact 11 from the casing 13,

and an internally-threaded metal bushing 15 secured to the upper end of the casing 13' for screwing onto the end of the conduit through which the feed-wires are led to the 7 socket.

For detachably securing the insulating base 10 and the parts secured thereby to the casing 13, a strap 16 oisheet-m'etal is secured across the upper end of the insulating base 10, said strap beingprovided with two downwardly-extending spring legs 17, the free ends or which engage in diametrically-opposed openings 18in the socket-casing 13.

The strap 16 is clamped to the insulating base 10 beneath an insulating fiber disk 19, which is secured to the insulating base'l O by means of a pair of eyelets 20", which extend through registering openings in the insulating base 10, the strap 16,and' the fiber disk 19.

The strap 16 is seated in a correspondingly-shaped depression 21 in the insulating base 10 and is thus positioned with respect to the insulating base.

The openings 22 in the strap through larger in diameter than said eyelets, to'pre vent a short-circuit in case an eyelet 20 .105 which the eyelets 20 extend are somewhat" should be brought into the electrical cirthe base 10..

In order to position the threaded shell contact 11 definitely with respect to the insulating base 10, the latter is provided with two recesses 26 located adjacent the flange portions 24 and 25, and ears 27' are turned down from'the flange portions 24and 25 into the recesses 26.

A binding-terminal is provided for the threaded shell contact 11, comprising a binding-screw 28 extending through an opening in the flange portion 23 and' threaded into a, nut 29. located in a recess in the insulating base lObeneath the flange portion 23.

The center contact 12 comprises a contact portion 30, a portion 31 extending through an opening in the insulating base 10, and a portion 32 extending up over the upper face of the insulating base 10. A bindingterminal' is provided for the center contact 12, comprisingabinding-screw 33 extending through an opening in the portion 32 in the center contact andthreaded into a nut 34 located in a recess in the upper face of the insulating base. The portion 32 of the center contact is caught under the insulating disk 19 and thus held in place with respect to the insulating base. v

The fiber disk'19 is provided with a pair of openings 35, through which access is bad tothe binding-screws 28 and 33 for wiring the device; It is also provided with a pair of notches 36, to provide clearance for the spring fingers 17. V

A cup-shaped insulating disk 37 is secured in place in the upper portion of the casing 13 for. preventing the feed-wires from rubbing against the metal bushing 15 and for preventing short-circuiting in case the insulation on the wires becomes worn.

The bushingv 15and casing 13 are secured together by slitting and bending over portions of-both, as indicated at 38. This slit.

ting and bending forms engaging tongues on the bushing and casing, some of the tongues being bentdownfarther than the othersso as to prevent relative rotation between the bushing and the casing. A. reinforcing washer 39 may be provided to prevent the casing 13 from being bent where it is connected with the bushing.

That part of each finger 17 which engages the opening 18 is provided with a July 9, 1918.

T-shaped embossment, as indicated at 40,

the edges of which embossment tend to pre 7 vent the end of the finger from slipping out of the opening 18. Each spring finger 17 is also provided with a struck-up portion 41, the cut edges of which are posi- V tioned to engage the cut edges of the opening 18, as a further precaution against the ends of the fingers-slipping out of the the fingers 17 are sprung inwardly and the insulating base 10 and the parts carried thereby are slipped out of the casing 13. The feed-wires are then passed through the bushing 15 and secured to the bindingscrews 28 and 33. The insulating base 10 and the parts carried thereby are then slipped back into the casing until the fingers 17 snap "into the openings 18.

In Fig. 8 is shown another form of connection for the shade-supporting means. In this form the parts may be substantially the same as in the 7 form previously de-' scribed, withthe exception of the lower portion of the casing; In this form the casing 42 has its lower portion enlarged in diameter and has a "threaded portion 43 rolled into it, for engagement with the threaded portion 44 of a shade-supporting "In Fig. 9is shown another form of bushing for the passage ofthe feedvvires. In this form the parts may be substantially the same as in Figs. 17, with the exception of the upper portion of thecasing and the bushing. In this format bushing 45 of in; sulating material extends through an open ing in the upper portion of the casing 46 1 and has an enlarged portion 47 held be:

tween the upper portion otthe casing .46

and thecup-shaped fiber washer 37.

Some of the features shown anddescribed in this application are also shown and-described in my Patents No. 1,336,607, dated April 13,1920, and/No. 1,271,835, dated This application is a continuation as to common subject-matter of my copending application Serial No. 69,890, filed January 3, 1916. V

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesi' 1. An electrical receptacle comprising a cup-shaped metal. casing, an insulating base, receptacle contacts. carried by. said" base, said base having an opening there-.

through, a spring finger supported by said.

base, and means for securing said spring finger to said base comprising atubular rivet memberextending through the open-.- ing in said base, said casing having an opening with which said spring finger engages to hold the insulating base and the parts supported thereby in said casing.

2. An electrical receptacle comprising a cup-shaped sheet-metal casing member having an opening therein, an insulating base, receptacle contacts supported thereby, a spring contact finger supported by said base, and means for securing said contact finger to said base comprising an insulating disk overlying said contact finger, and a hollow rivet member extending through registering openings in said base, finger, and disk, said finger engaging said opening in said casing for holding said insulating base and the parts supported thereby in position in said casing.

3. An electrical receptacle comprising a cup-shaped metal casing, a threaded shell contact member, an insulating base located substantially within said threaded shell contact member, said contact member having a flange portion overlying said base, a spring finger sup-ported by said base and having a portion overlying said base, and means for securing said spring finger and contact in place on said base comprising an insulating disk overlying said flange portion and said overlying portion of said spring finger, said spring finger engaging said opening in said casing for holding said insulating base and the parts supported thereby in place in said casing.

4E. An electrical receptacle co nprising a cup-shaped metal casing having an opening therein, a threaded shml contact, an insulating base located substantially with in said threaded shell contact, said shell contact having a fiange portion overlying said base, a spring finger having a base portion overlying said insulating base, and means for holding said shell contact and spring finger in position on said base comprising an insulating disk overlying said flange portion and base portion, said spring finger engaging said opening in said casing for holding said base and the parts supported thereby in position in said casing.

5. An electrical receptacle comprising a threaded shell contact member, an insulating base located substantially within said contact member, said contact member having a flange portion overlying said insulating base, and means for securing said contact member to said insulating base comprising a disk of insulating material overlying said fiange portion and secured to said base, said base having a recess located underneath said flange portion, a nut located in said recess, and a binding screw extending through said flange and threaded into said nut, said insulating disk having an opening to provide clearance for the head of the binding screw, whereby the feed wire may be clamped between the head of the screw and the fian e portion of the shell contact.

6. A receptacle comprising an insulating base having a central supporting portion, and having an opening therein offset from said central portion, a shell contact associated therewith, a headed binding screw extending parallel to the axis of the said receptacle, an integral sheet metal member comprising a portion constructed and located to form a center contact in front of said supporting portion, a portion extending through said opening, and a portion adjacent the screw head, a nut located between said last portion and said insulating base, into which said binding screw is threaded.

7. A receptacle comprising an integral cylindrical sheet metal shell having a threaded contact portion, an insulating base having a main circular body portion of substantially the same diameter as said shell, fitting snugly within the inner end of said shell and secured therein, a binding terminal for said threaded contact supported by said insulating base, and a center contact also supported by said insulating base, the inner face of said circular body portion being dished to conform to the shape of the inserted electrical device.

8. A unit-shell socket comprising a unitary sheet metal cup shaped casing, hav-- ing a plurality of openings in its sides, and a socket interior construction insertable and removable as a whole through the open end or said cup shaped casing, said removable socket interior construction comprising an insulating base, a threaded shell contact mounted thereon, and a sleeve of thin insulating sheet material closely surrounding said shell contact and a plurality of outwardly extending fingers mounted on said socket interior construction and having their free outer ends engageable in said openings, whereby said socket interior construction may be easily slipped into said casing and readily released therefrom.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. 

